This invention relates to protective helmets and more particularly to novel means for attachment of a suspension means or liner within a protective helmet.
Suspensions or liners for use with protective helmets usually are composed of two basic parts. One part is generally referred to as the "head suspension" and extends horizontally around the wearer's head at approximately the level of an oridnary hat band. The head suspension serves principallly to cushion generally horizontally directed blows on the outer shell of the helmet. The other part is generally referred to as the "crown suspension" and extends over the top of the wearer's head. The latter suspension serves to cushion blows directed generally downwardly against the shell.
Crown and head suspensions are conventionally attached to the inside wall of the shell of the helmet by means of metallic rivets. For a number of reasons however rivets are an unsatisfactory attachment means. First should the suspension not maintain the wearer's head in spaced relationship with the shell when the later is struck by a blow, the head may be struck by the rivet and injured. Secondly rivets must either be installed by hand or by relatively complicated machinery and are, therefore, an expensive means for maintaining the suspension in position. Thirdly rivets must usually be installed by skilled workmen and hence, in practice, will usually be installed at the factory where the helmet shell and suspension are manufactured. Since rivets cannot be installed at the retail outlet where the helmet is sold, the retailer cannot be provided with suspensions which fit various sized heads so that the retailer can himself install a suspension of the size required to fit a particular customer's head. The retailer must, therefore, maintain a large stock of helmet shells to fit a range of head sizes.